The following statement was released by Bay State Stonewall Democrats on August 15, 2020:
We condemn the unsubstantiated allegations of sexual misconduct against Alex Morse, an openly gay candidate, admittedly raised by members of the College Democrats of Massachusetts and UMass Democrats, allegedly with the advice of leadership of the Massachusetts Democratic Party. We are outraged by these developments and call into question the ethical standards, moral judgment, and basic humanity of any leader responsible for this egregious and homophobic plan to do irreparable damage to the Morse Campaign and to the character of Mayor Alex Morse himself.
The alleged months-long effort by individuals in CDMA to gaybait, entrap, and lure Mayor Morse into compromising, embarrassing, or politically taboo situations is an unacceptable, yet familiar, homophobic tactic that is maliciously damaging. To his credit, Mayor Morse did not take the bait, which speaks to the strength of his character.
We call for an independent investigation of all individuals involved in any way and for the immediate resignation, suspension, or removal of individuals responsible for, or with participation or knowledge of, this unprecedented abuse of power. That includes any party involved from the College Democrats of Massachusetts, the Democratic State Committee and Democratic Party.
These reckless attacks on an LGBTQ+ candidate perpetuated homophobic tropes that our community, especially gay men, are well familiar with and experience too often. The inappropriate labeling of gay men, especially those engaging in consensual relationships regardless of age differences, as sexually perverse and predatory can have chilling and detrimental effects on the LGBTQ+ community including current and future candidates, elected officials, and those serving in civic life.
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Note: The writer is a proud member of Bay State Stonewall Democrats.
Based in this story from The Intercept–which has not been denied by the MA Dem party–resignations of the senior leadership of the MA Dem Party should be handed in on Nov. 4th and we have with a fresh start in 2021.
Unbelievably gross.
Good for you and the group, Fred!
Each Intercept report peels off another disturbing layer of what appears to have been transpiring between the state party, the CDMA, and two top members of the Umass Amherst chapter.
For a story that is getting national coverage, here is NYT coverage from today, the Boston Globe is partially sitting on their hands on this story. Sure they ran a couple stories recapping the various reporting on this…but they have uncovered no new facts–while other media outlets are–and seem content with that.
And this post has been up for 3 days here and barely a peep from readers. I remember this would have been a lively and spirited debate here. But, as I’ve observed over the years, BMG has become a place that doesn’t object (some even embrace) insider power plays that corrupts our political process.
I think the NYT piece that pogo attempted to link to is https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/23/us/politics/alex-morse-massachusetts.html.
From that piece, I noticed the following (emphasis mine):
I suggest that our culture and political process will be very much improved when young people and youth movements learn that facts, due diligence, and “innocent until proven guilty” are just as important as “listening” to allegations.
Sources and their credibility matter. Facts matter. Context matters. Young people have biases and prejudices just like the rest of us.
The propensity of “our generation” of young people to enthusiastically embrace any and every allegation that supports their biases and prejudices is NOT a “very good inclination”. It is, I suggest, instead a reflection of immaturity and a public education system that tends to value feelings over facts and “soft” over “hard” subjects.
There are objective facts that remain facts however we feel about them and however much we like or dislike their consequences.
Finally, I must say that I’m disappointed to find our official state Democratic Party organization once more on the wrong side of apparently reprehensible behavior. I predict that the “independent investigation” of whether “anyone acted improperly” will have approximately as much substance as any of the similar whitewashes of police killings over the past few decades.
The party has already admitted that it “provided legal advice to the College Democrats about the letter”. That’s the only “investigation” this Democrat needs in order to have a very good idea of what actually transpired here.
I agree with much of what you right above, but this is categorically false.
“ I suggest, instead a reflection of immaturity and a public education system that tends to value feelings over facts and “soft” over “hard” subjects.”
Maybe at some private liberal arts colleges has cancel culture gone awry, but for the most part, public school teachers are leading with facts and holding kids accountable to their sourcing. This teacher does anyway, as most all of my colleagues. The whole point of My history courses and the speech and debate team is to teach kids how to use analytical reasoning in an applied way. Civil and reasoned discourse is the lifeblood of our democracy and I won’t let it die.
The bigger threat is college admins who coddle young minds while inflating the country club campus model and the ways that has sadly trickled down into our public school districts on the account of lawsuits from Predominately affluent parents. My kids want to learn, the groupthink you’ll encounter is from the Lori Lauren’s of the world who view education as a cynical means to an end.
I certainly do not mean to insult any of the educators here. I’m not talking about individual teachers, what they teach or their qualifications.
I’m instead talking about the requirements (or lack thereof) that our voters impose on our schools regarding required subjects and curricula. In my public high school of the late 1960s — a three-year school from 10th to 12th grade — every graduating student was required to pass history in 10th grade, civics in 11th grade, and “society and government” (whatever that is) in 12th grade. We were required to have three full years of math, three full years of science (biology, chemistry, physics), and three full years of English. That was preceded by a junior high school (grades 7-9) curricula with similar standards. By the time I graduated high school, I had had six years of science, math, social studies, and English.
None of my five children had similarly rigorous programs. Two of them went to high school in Washington state, the other three in MA. All five were good to excellent students all five have graduated college.
The groupthink I encounter most often is from well-meaning privileged white parents who raise children with the premise that they can pursue whatever they find interesting and rewarding and that they will be able to spend their lives doing whatever that is.
I applaud your emphasis on applied analytical reasoning. I suggest that if the young people described in the NYT piece had benefited from the programs you conduct, they might have been less susceptible to the lies and exaggerations of the group in question (the state chapter of College Democrats).
Look, I’m glad you brought it up and linked the NYT piece, which I saw yesterday. Frankly, I don’t trust The Intercept — at least not everyone there. They have some great reporters but Grim’s judgment is definitely to be questioned after the Tara Reade thing. After my initial revulsion at the accusations vs. Morse — and then the counter-accusations vs. the young college Dems — I was waiting for some other news orgs to check it out.
I’ve decided that getting out my hot take before the news cycle ends is not that important. OTOH the primary ends Tuesday. :\
I certainly don’t treat the Intercept like I do the NYTs. That’s why it’s interesting that after 2 weeks of the Intercept reporting on this…nothing in their reporting has been challenged or undermined by other media outlets like the NYT or the Globe. The silence from the State Party, the Morse accusers and the Neal camp speaks volumes to me. I got no dog in this hunt, but I don’t like the fact patterns I’m seeing.
It looks to me as though the NYT has validated pretty much all of the reporting of the Intercept.
Like pogo, this isn’t my district and so I don’t have a vote. I am troubled by the role the state party has reportedly played as well as its silence.
We’re supposed to be the good guys. I think every Democrat should be appalled by this kind of thuggery.
I think that’s right.
Indeed. He’s no Judith Miller nor Jayson Blair…
Lol. Fair!